Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles

District 181 is dedicated to our hard-working staff, students, families, Board, Board Committees, and community who make our successes possible.

Our Vision

To be a community school district where students develop the skills they need to change the world and the confidence they need to do it.

Our Mission

To provide a premier educational experience that teaches students to be critical thinkers and enables them to achieve their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally.

Guiding Principles

We value academic excellence and believe it is best achieved through curriculum, critical thinking, creativity, competition, courage, curiosity, community, collaboration, continuous improvement, and consistency.

• Curriculum: Research-based, results-oriented educational programs reflective of community expectations.
• Critical Thinking: Fuels academic success and the development of 21st century skills.
• Creativity: Recognizes the whole child and fosters personal achievement in the arts, athletics and extracurricular activities.
• Competition: As a healthy measure of preparedness and self-motivation.
• Courage: Doing the right thing guides behavior and builds confidence.
• Curiosity: Life-long learners are curious about the world around them.
• Community: Parental and community involvement results in better outcomes; responsible and equitable resource management strengthens our schools and community; and good citizenship is modeled through service to others.
• Collaboration and Communication: Open, transparent and respectful dialogue with and among stakeholders about decisions and the decision making process reinforces trust and improves outcomes.
• Continuous Improvement: Setting high standards allows students and staff to meet their full potential and excel.
• Consistency: In personal performance as well as offerings between schools and within schools, an integral element to success at all levels.

— Adopted by the Board of Education February 8, 2016